Montreal robbed Colorado in swapping Daniel Briere for P.A. Parenteau and a 5th

The Score | Jul 1

Here’s the thing with Danny Briere: he’s not very good any more. I have a ton of respect for his talent, his career, and the man he is, but as far as being an effective NHLer goes at age 36 (37 by the time next season starts), the reality is that it just ain’t there anymore.

Briere is a guy who needs to play in the top-six with good linemates to be effective, and he was rarely good enough this past season to be slotted into that role. As a small guy in the NHL, you need that pop in your step to evade the monsters, and he's lost a step. The established veteran tallied 25 points in 69 games - you expect more from offensive players $4 million a year.

That they turned him into 31-year-old P.A. Parenteau, a player with the same cap hit whose two seasons pre-Patrick Roy yielded .84 and .90 points-per-game is pure alchemy. That they picked up a 5th round pick with Parenteau seems beyond magic.